Metallic cross-tie.



' G; A. &`A.M. DIGKEY L o. H. HOAG.

METALLIC @Ros TIE. APPLICATION FILED JUVLY 10, 1908.

Patented June 8,

Snom/toas @Smm . tional view, i

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErc.

GEORGE A. DICKEY, ABIJAH M.. DICKEY, AND CASPER H. HOAG, OF JUDSONIA, ARKANSAS.

METALLIC CROSS-TIE.

lSpeci'tlcation of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune 8, 1909.

Application filed `.Tuly 10, 1908. Serial No. 442,922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. DICKEY, ABIJAH M. DIcKEY, and CASPER H. HoAe, cltizens of the United States, residing at Judsonia, in the county' of White and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Metallic Cross-Tie, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in metallic cross ties. i The object ofv the present invention is to improve the `construction of metallic cross ties,- and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive metallic'cross tie having an open'ln of the proper slze and shape to prevent W at is known as center binding of the track, and to relieve the center of the cross tie of undue strain.

vAnother object of the invention is to provide a cross tie adapted tov eliminate the tendency ofv crossv ties Atoslip sidewise on curves, dum s and similar places, and capable also of w1thstanding the tendency of the track to spring out of line through variations in temperature.

The invention also has for its object to provide a metallic cross tie of this character equipped with interchangeable track fastening means.

With these and other objects in. view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and ointcd out in the claims hereto appended; it eing understood that various c anges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the sco e of the claims, may be resorted to Without eparting from the s irit or sacrificing any of the advantages of tlie invention.

In the drawing z-Figure l is a lan view of a metallic cross tie, constructs in a'ccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fi .3 is a horizontal sectional Viewof.one hal of the cross tie. Fi 4 is an enlarged detail secustrating the construction of the track fastening devices. Fig. 5 is a detail erspective view of the locking piece.

Le numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawin l(l designates a cross tie constructed of suit- I able metal and designed to be manufactured in various lengths to adapt itfor supporting switch stands and for use at various points on a railroad track. The cross tie, which is substantially rectangular in cross section, is provided with hollow end portions 2, and it as transverse partitions or walls 3, located at opposite sides of the centerof the cross tie and crossing the inner ends of the hollow ter minal portions 2, as clearly illustrated in Fig.

2 of the drawing. The transverse walls 3 are downwardly tapered to present'inner opposite upwardly inclined faces di' f The top and ,bottom of the cross tie are o cn at the center between the transverse wal s 4, thereby providing an upwardly tapered opening at the center of the cross tieto permit the ballast to work through and thereby relieve the center of the cross tie of undue strain.

The cross ties are settled into .the ballast by the Weight of the passingtrains, which, with the ordinaryvconstruction of cross tie, causes the same to become'center bound and break in two at the middle of the track.

While settling, the ballast at the sides of the track works away from the ends of the cross ties leaving the ballast in the center of tbe track more solid than at the sides. The intermediate vertical opening through the 'cross tic at the center of the track and the inclined faces at opposite ends of the opening permit' the ballast to work out through the top of the tic, thereby preventing the strain from concentrating at the center of the tie. This construction besides relieving the conter of the cross tie prevents the same from working sidewise in the ballast, and alsoprevents the track from workinglsidcwisc. Long cross ties extending across the double track i or beyond the single track to support a be omitted, braces and Y of the drawing.

the transverse partitions 3, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The hollow terminal portions ofthe cross tie are open at their outer ends, and the cross o tie, which pres-nts a flat upper face to receive the 'rails 8, is equipped with reversible interchangeable rail clamps mounted on the upper tace of the cross tie at the end portions thereof, and provided with terminal engag- 10 ing portions 9 and 10. The engaging or clamping portions 9 are of a length to extend to and engage the bottom fianges of the rail 8, and they conform to the configuration of the bottom flange, as clearly shown in Fig. 2

The other terminal clamping portions 10, which are shorter than the clamping portion 9, are of a length to engage the fish plates 11, and -they conform to the configuration of the same. The engaging end faces of the clamp are reversely arranged, and the upper and lower edges of the clamps are straight and horizontal to enable either of them to be fitted against the upper face of the cross tie, as the clamps when reversed, 25 are turned up-side down and end for end to change their engaging portions. The clamps are secured to the cross tie by means of vertical .bolts 12, having heads at their lower end and provided with squared portions 13, pass- 80 ing through rectangular openings of the top of 'the cross tie and the clamps. The bolt openin sat each end of the cross tie are locatedk t 1e same distance apart to provide the necessary space for the rails and the engaging portion of the clamp, and by use of the long and short terminal engaging portions ofthe clamps, the latter are reversible and interchangeable, and only one set of perfor-ations is required for each end of the cross tie, as the 40 same perforations may be used when either the clamping portions 9 or the terminal por-.

' f tions l() are employed. The squared portions of the bolt preferably extend to within a short distance of the upper facs of the clamps, and their upper threaded portions receive lower nuts 14 for engaging the said clamps. The nuts 14 are held against accidental rotation by locking plates or pieces 15, composed of substantially U-shapedv top portions 16 and substantiall Lshaped lower portions 17. The locking p ate or piece 15 is piigovided with a central opening 18 for the p lt 12, and the upper U-shaped portion fits over and embraces the nut 14. :The L- shaped sides 17 extend outward and'downward from the U-shaped top ortion and enga e the clamp at o p posite si( es'thereof. The

loc 'ng plates or pieces are retained in eu-y gagement with the nuts and the clamps by means of. upper nuts 19, arranged on the threaded portions of the bolts. The u per nuts have to be removed with a wrenc or other tool in order to unscrew the nuts, which engage the clamps. Washers 20 may be interposed'betwee'n the heads of the bolts and the lower faces of the top of the cross tie, but they can, of course, be omitted, if desired.

Having lthus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cross tie provided at an intermediate point with an upward tapered opening extending entirely through the cross tie from the bottom to the top and presenting opposite inclined faces to the ballast, and adapted to permit the ballast to work through the cross tie.

2. A hollow cross tie rectangular in cross section provided at an intermediate point with transverse walls tapered to present in- 8.0 ner inclined faces, said cross tie being provided between the walls with an opening extending from the bottom to the top of the tio and tapered upwardly.

3. A hollow cross tie rectangular in cross 85. section provided at an intermediate point vwith transverse walls tapered to present inner inclined faces, said cross tie being provided between the walls with an opening extending from the bottom to the top of the tie and tapered upwardly, and a longitudinal web connecting the transverse walls and dividing the space between the same into separate openings.

4. A metallic cross tie provided with an opening having end walls presenting inclined faces to the ballast, said cross tie being also provided with hollow terminal portions closed at their inner ends by the said end walls.

5. A hollow metallic cross tielrectangular in cross section provided with spaced transverse walls tapered downwardly and presenting inner opposite inclined faces, said cross tie being open between the inclined faces and having side walls at the open portion, and a central longitudinal bracing web connecting the transverse walls and dividing the open portion into se arate openings.

6. The com ination with a hollow cross tie, and a rail, of a clamp arranged on the upper face of the cross tie, a bolt piercing the top of the cross tie and the clamp, a nut arranged en .thethgeaded portion of the bolt and 'Aengaglng the clamp, a locking plate or 115 piece consisting of an approximately U- shaped top portion arranged on the bolt and engaging the said nut, and substantially L- shaped lower portions fitting against the upper and side faces of the clamp, and an upper nut arranged'on the bolt and engaging the locking plate or piece.

7. A cross tie provided with reversible and .interchangeable clamps having long and short terminal engaging portions, the short terminal portion being of a length to engage a fish plate and the lon terminal portion being of a length to exten to and en gage a rail. 8. The combination of a cross tie provided at its ends with vertical bolt openings arranged equal distances apart reversible and a s our own, we have hereto afiixed our signa- 10 gnterchangeableclamps having vertical opentures in the preseneeof two witnesses.v

1n s and rovided with reversely arranged re atively png and short clamping portions adapted to engage either a rail or a sh late, and fastenijigl evices passing throug the said openingsfor securing the clamps to the cross tie. K

In testimony, that We claim the foregoing GEORGE A. DIOKEY. ABIJAH M. DICKEY. CASPER H. HOAG.

Witnesses:

J. W. HoBBs, J. CoLLIsoN. 

